Anti-drug operations

IT’S certainly heartening to note that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will not conduct anti-illegal drug operations in colleges and universities without the consent of concerned school officials.

In fact, the leadership of the PNP is committed to fully comply with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) guidelines on the conduct of anti-drug operations in educational institutions.

“It means that our men would need to coordinate with school administrators should they conduct operations in a certain school,” according to PNP chief Director-General Oscar D. Albayalde.

Albayalde added: “We will not come in na parang magko-conduct ng buy-bust. No, we will not do that.”

This, despite the fact that since 2016, law enforcement authorities have “rescued” or arrested more than 1,800 minors, including students, for their involvement in the profitable illegal drug business.

At the same time, the PNP chief, a known disciplinarian, reiterated that the policemen’s “primordial concern” during these operations is the protection of human rights.

Note that various quarters have come up with some bold proposals designed to address the drug menace, which continues to worry government authorities and the general public.

The proposals include the mandatory drug testing of students, employees in the private sector and government personnel, and the surprise inspection of bags and other belongings of students.

But many sectors, including the ordinary citizens, across the country have expressed strong opposition to these bold proposals, describing them as human rights violations.

We commend the PNP, which is civilian in nature but national in scope, for sticking with CHED guidelines in conducting anti-illegal drug operations in schools, colleges and universities.